What is Obama thinking of? By Jerry Mazza Online Journal Associate Editor

Barack, my brother. Mr. President-elect, what is going through your head? Rahm Israel Emmanuel for White House Chief of Staff? Rahm, who fought with the Israeli Army in the Gulf war, whose father Benjamin fought with the Irgun gang, the Zionist terror bombers of the King David Hotel; Rahm, the 2001 Freddie Mac board member involved with campaign scandals and contributions, personally raking in $231,655. I mean, just look in that guy’s eyes, scary. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

You are hanging out with guys whose rap sheets go deeper than anyone you met in South Chicago. Like Larry Summers, key lobbyist for the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act, after his 1999 Clinton appointment, leading the wolf pack to the Financial Services Modernization Act, to gut stock market regulation with all the predatory practices that put us in our present pickle. Larry who, as chief economist for the World Bank, actually wanted to import toxic garbage to poor Third World countries because the people were going to die younger anyway. Can you believe that, brother? David Rockefeller’s boy! Goldman Sachs Consultant, managing director D.E. Shaw Hedge Fund Group (gambling casino).

Jesus, this is the guy you want to run the Treasury? He’s as toxic as Paulson and then some.

And Paul Volker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, 1980s Reagan era major player in kicking off financial deregulations, which ended in major bankruptcies, junk-bond mergers and acquisitions, climaxed by the 1987 Black Monday stock market crash. You want him to straighten out the crooks on Wall Street; him to avoid another crash? Good luck, my brother.

And Timothy Geithner, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the powerhouse financial institution in America. Tim, former Clinton Treasury official, ex-employee of Kissinger Associations, senior exec at the IMF, shapes finance policy behind the scenes, hangs with the Council on Foreign Relations. Do you really want him around?

Michael Chossudovsky in his article, Who are the Architects of Economic Collapse, said the above boys, along with ”Phil Gramm, Bernanke, Hank Paulson, Rubin, not to mention Alan Greenspan, et al are buddies; they play golf together; they have links to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderberg Group; they act concurrently in accordance with the interests of Wall Street; they meet behind closed doors; they are on the same wave length; they are Democrats and Republicans.”

He added, “While they may disagree on some issues, they are firmly committed to the Washington-Wall Street Consensus. They are utterly ruthless in their management of economic and financial processes. Their actions are profit driven. Outside of their narrow interest in the ‘efficiency’ of ‘markets,’ they have little concern for ‘living human beings.’ How are people’s lives affected by the deadly gamut of macro-economic and financial reforms, which is spearheading entire sectors of economic activity into bankruptcy . . .”

I mean the curtain isn’t up on your presidency and the cast is getting trashed by major critics.

Chossudovsky asked, “Where are Obama’s ‘Main Street appointees’? Namely individuals who respond to the interests of people across America. There are no labor or community leaders on Obama’s list for key positions.

“The president-elect is appointing the architects of financial deregulation.

“Meaningful financial reform cannot be adopted by officials appointed by Wall Street and who act on behalf of Wall Street.

“Those who set the financial system ablaze in 1999, have been called back to turn out the fire.

“The proposed ‘solution’ to the crisis under the ‘bailout’ is the cause of further economic collapse.”

Damn it, he’s right. He went on to say . . .

“There are no policy solutions on the horizon.

“The banking conglomerates call the shots. They decide on the composition of the Obama Cabinet. They also decide on the agenda of the Washington Financial Summit (November 15, 2008) which is slated to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a new “global financial architecture.” If this is true, change it.”

And this . . .

“The Wall Street blueprint has already been discussed behind closed doors: the hidden agenda is to establish a unipolar international monetary system, dominated by US financial power, which in turn would be protected and secured by US military superiority.”

Chossudovsky called this . . .

“Neoliberalism with a ‘Human Face’

I mean, do you, Barack Hussein Obama want to be their “face?” Chossudovsky says, “There is no indication that Obama will break his ties to his Wall Street sponsors, who largely funded his election campaign.

“Goldman Sachs, J. P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Bill Gates’ Microsoft are among his main campaign contributors.

“Warren Buffett, among the world’s richest individuals, not only supported Barak Obama’s election campaign, he is a member of his transition team, which plays a key role deciding the composition of Obama’s cabinet.”

Say it isn’t so, Barack. Say it isn’t so.

Reviews like this could stop your administration cold. And those were just one writer’s highlights. Here’s a few from Paul Craig Roberts in his Online Journal article, Conned Again: “Obama’s election was necessary as the only means Americans had to hold the Republicans accountable for their crimes against the Constitution and human rights, for their violations of US and international laws, for their lies and deceptions, and for their financial chicanery.”

This is really rich. Roberts quotes Russia’s major news voice: “As an editorial in Pravda put it, ‘Only Satan would have been worse than the Bush regime. Therefore it could be argued that the new administration in the USA could never be worse than the one which divorced the hearts and minds of Americans from their brothers in the international community, which appalled the rest of the world with shock and awe tactics that included concentration camps, torture, mass murder and utter disrespect for international law.’”

Consider it an honor that Pravda is counting on you to turn things around.

Roberts adds, “But Obama’s advisers are drawn from the same gang of Washington thugs and Wall Street banksters as Bush’s. Richard Holbrooke, son of Russian and German Jews, was an assistant secretary of state and ambassador in the Clinton administration. He implemented the policy to enlarge NATO and to place the military alliance on Russia’s border in contravention of Reagan’s promise to Gorbachev. Holbrooke is also associated with the Clinton administration’s illegal bombing of Serbia, a war crime that killed civilians and Chinese diplomats. If not a neocon himself, Holbrooke is closely allied with them.”

So we have consensus here.

The best and the brightest think you’re hanging with the worst and the weirdest. And the train ain’t out of the station, my man. I mean my President-To-Be. I voted for you, dude, twice, at least; convinced my family and friends. Pumped you up in my articles. Don’t make me look like a horse’s ass. You have the power. You have it in you to provide better than this for the working and middle class families whose butts you want to save. These guys don’t have a clue of what it is to ride the A-train at 8 a.m. or not take a limo or a private jet wherever they’re going. Or go without, period.

You know, the Reverend Wright held your feet to the fire, maybe too much, and you walked away. Okay, he could have been a little cooler but . . . things can heat up as you know pretty fast again. Also, I don’t want to put you between a Rockefeller and a hard place, but you do have an obligation to reach out to better, more honest and more diverse characters than these skunks. (Go ahead, sue me, guys. Your resumes read like Danny Estulin’s The True Story of the Bilderberg Group).

So brother, President Obama if you will, if you’re serious about change, then change. We all thought you were going to bring change, not the foxes in to watch the henhouse. You ran one of the best presidential campaigns I’ve ever seen, bucking all the odds, with an army of 5,000 lawyers to battle voter fraud in your 50-state spread, ceding nothing to McCain. And you won big-time just about all of the battleground states and then some. Don’t go soft on us now when it counts. Don’t lose your liberal base as well as your ethnic base or disillusion all the great college kids (like my son who woke up at 6 a.m. to vote for you, then took his hour and a half subway ride to a Brooklyn community college).

I know I’m guilt-tripping you, but I don’t want to see somebody as innately gifted and brilliant as you tripped up by these vicious clowns. If you can’t dump them, then transcend them. Use your incredible rhetorical gifts to talk them down. Don’t be another Slick Willy. Stick to the truth. Think of your sainted grandma, your grandpa who fought in World War II. This is another battle, trust me, and probably just as tough. Think of all those Kenyans back in your father’s country who are so proud of you they can’t stop running. Think of your mom who taught you right from wrong, who woke you up at 4:30 in the morning to tutor you. My brother, don’t let us down. One Satan per generation is enough.

Remember, Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement. It’s the 45th anniversary of her father’s assassination coming up. And there’s at least one or two in this group that were part of that cadre. Watch your back. We all know this is not easy. Think of Evo Morales, the first full-blooded Indian president of Bolivia. And think of what he means to all the people of his beloved country as he stands up to the Spanish colonizers’ descendants. He’s waiting for the US to melt the thaw. He’s waiting for justice just the way he fought his way to the top. And you, too, are a man of the people, their contender for justice, an honest economy, a fair shot at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Go for it, my brother. Don’t make me look like another stupid white man. Don’t let them turn you. Don’t break our hearts.
Jerry Mazza is a freelance writer living in New York City. Reach him at gvmaz@verizon.net. read his new book, “State Of Shock: Poems from 9/11 on” at www.jerrymazza.com, Amazon or Barnesandnoble.com.

Copyright © 1998-2007 Online Journal

Pakistan's defiant nuclear scientist AQ Khan released

Paul Woodward, Online Correspondent - The National - Abu Dhabi

After being under house arrest for five years Pakistan's nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan has been released. Following the judicial order that led to his release, lawyers who have been campaigning for the restoration of Pakistan's Chief Justice Chaudhry and other judges of the superior judiciary who were suspended under the rule of former president Musharraf, are now optimistic that the judges will be reinstated.

When asked by ABC News what he would say to those who suggest he has made the world more dangerous, Dr Khan replied, "I don't care about the rest of the world. I care about my country.

"Obama cares about America - not about Pakistan, or India, Afghanistan, or anyone else," he said. "I have made Pakistan a safer place. That you are standing here and talking, and India not blowing on your neck, this is my contribution."

Time magazine reported: "Although it is unclear whether Pakistan's new civilian government had a hand in his release, Khan offered thanks to President Asif Ali Zardari for lifting the restrictions imposed on him by his predecessor, Pervez Musharraf. Zardari may have been averse to the international criticism likely to come from restoring Khan's freedom of movement, but it was a government clarification that was key to the court's decision. A government lawyer told the court some weeks ago that Khan was not under formal house arrest but merely kept under tight security for his own protection. Seizing on that admission, the court said that since there are no charges - and since Khan was pardoned by Musharraf soon after his confession - he should be allowed to move."

ABC News said: "The extent of Khan's international network and the sheer physical presence of some of the materials he sold have led many to believe he was supported by the Pakistani state, something the government have vociferously denied. Khan himself claimed he had sold equipment to North Korea with the full knowledge of the military, then headed by President Pervez Musharraf.

" 'These centrifuges weighed something like half a ton each. You can't put them in your coat pocket and walk away with them,' [Dr. Pervez] Hoodbhoy [chairman of the physics department at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad] said. 'It obviously involved a lot of official support. ... If there were aircraft of the Pakistan air force that flew these centrifuges out - well, obviously there had to be somebody at the top who was also involved.'

"It was not clear whether Khan would be allowed to travel completely freely. He told journalists he would have to seek permission to travel outside the country and said he was free to move around inside. His wife told reporters that the government still held his passport."

In the United States, a state department official said: "We believe AQ Khan remains a serious proliferation risk. The proliferation support that Khan and his associates provided to Iran and North Korea has had a harmful impact on the international - on international security, and will for years to come."

Pakistan's foreign ministry said the government had investigated Dr Khan's past proliferation, shared its findings with the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, and put in place tight controls that would prevent anything similar from happening again, the Associated Press reported.

"We have successfully broken the network that he had set up and today he has no say and has no access to any of the sensitive areas of Pakistan," the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday. "AQ Khan is history."

The Washington Post reported: "Nearly five years after Khan's smuggling operation came to light, the international effort to prosecute its leaders is largely in shambles, yielding convictions of only a few minor participants and no significant prison time for any of them.

"Meanwhile, the much-touted cooperation between the United States and its partners in the investigation of the network also is in disarray. In recent weeks, Washington has faced accusations that it withheld crucial documents from key allies and allowed its spies to run covert operations in friendly countries without permission.

"Worst of all, the recent discovery of nuclear weapons blueprints on computers found in Switzerland and Dubai has prompted questions about whether the damage inflicted by the network was truly contained - or even understood. It is possible, US officials concede, that Khan and his allies shared nuclear secrets with still-unknown countries and, perhaps, terrorist groups, as well."

Hail Hitler, Hail Obama

The reason why British Companies cant compete for contracts in the UK

The Main reason why British Companies can't compete for Contracts in The UK is because British Companies must abide by Health & Safety Laws amongst other laws whereas foreign companies don't.

This means that British companies by law have to automatically add up to 50% on their tenders because of govt. law

Ehud Olmert: Corruption allegations - maybe they thought we'd forget!!!

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is alleged to be involved in a number of corruption scandals, and faces a criminal investigation in one case. He denies any wrongdoing in all cases.

THE TALANSKY CASE

Prosecutors are investigating donations to Mr Olmert - reported to amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars - from a New York-based financier, Morris (or Moshe) Talansky.

Olmert denies corruption allegations but says he will resign if charged

Mr Olmert admits taking money, but insists they were legal donations to fund his campaigns for re-election as mayor of Jerusalem and for the leadership of the Likud party.

In a sensational court appearance that outraged media commentators and shocked many Israelis, Mr Talansky said he handed over cash to Mr Olmert amounting to $150,000 to fund political campaigns, as well as - he hinted - a liking for fine hotels, cigars, pens and watches.

Mr Talansky said he was not aware how all the money had been spent, nor did he receive any favours as a result of his fundraising. He did say that he gave a "loan" - never repaid - of $25,000 so Mr Olmert could go on holiday to Italy.

There have as yet been no charges filed in the case. The witness was questioned under oath during a private visit to Israel on 28 May and will be cross-examined on a later date.

The testimony has prompted calls for Mr Olmert to stand down from Ehud Barak of the Labour party, a junior coalition member. Mr Olmert has stressed he will only resign if indicted.

'FRAUD'

In July, police widen the investigation into Mr Talansky's allegations to also look at whether Mr Olmert may have committed fraud.

A statement issued by the police and justice ministry after the prime minister is interviewed for a third time about the corruption allegations says he was also "asked to give his account about suspicions of serious fraud and other offences".

"According to the suspicions, during his tenure as Jerusalem mayor and trade and industry minister, Olmert would seek duplicate funding for his trips abroad from public bodies, including from the state, with each of them requested to fund the same trip," it adds.

Police suspect that the "considerable sums" that remained after the travel expenses were paid for were transferred by Mr Olmert to a special account his travel agency administered for him.

"These monies were used to finance private trips abroad by Olmert and his family," the police statement says.

Mr Olmert later insists he "never took a penny" from any of the public bodies.

'ABUSE OF POWER'

Israel's attorney general has ordered police to investigate decisions taken by Mr Olmert when he was trade and industry minister between 2003 and 2005.

A statement by the attorney general said police would investigate whether Mr Olmert had appointed political associates to the Medium and Small Enterprises Authority and other government bodies.

They will also look into whether Mr Olmert helped secure special funding for a factory represented by his ex-law partner, the statement said.

Mr Olmert's office has denied the allegations, saying: "These are unnecessary investigations. It's clear beyond any doubt that the investigation will yield nothing."

BANK LEUMI

In November, police said there were no grounds to lay charges against Mr Olmert in connection with the privatisation of a bank while he was finance minister in 2005.

Mr Olmert was alleged to have tried to influence the sale of the state's controlling interest in Bank Leumi, Israel's second-largest bank, in favour of a friend.

PROPERTY PURCHASE (OR THE CREMIEUX STREET AFFAIR)

Mr Olmert is facing a criminal investigation by police into his purchase of a Jerusalem property.

A government watchdog found that he paid $325,000 (£162,500) below market value for the house.

The prime minister has insisted the price was fair and the inquiry was "uncalled for".

If police do find that Mr Olmert received favourable terms in return for benefits to the vendor, they will pass the matter to the attorney general to decide whether he is charged.

The case is known as the Cremieux Street affair after the address of the property.

AIDE INVESTIGATED

A senior official in Mr Olmert's office was placed under house arrest as part of an alleged corruption scandal in January 2007.

Shula Zaken, Mr Olmert's personal secretary and a close aide for 30 years, allegedly abused her position to influence the appointment of some tax officials in return for tax benefits.

Ms Zaken has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing. Police have said that there is no direct connection in this case to Mr Olmert.

She has been released from house arrest, but suspended from her job pending investigations.

'CONFLICT OF INTEREST'

Israel's commissioner for standards in public life recommended in April 2007 that police investigate a business deal Mr Olmert made before he became prime minister.

State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss alleged that Mr Olmert had arranged investment opportunities for a friend while he was industry minister.

Mr Lindenstrauss alleged that Mr Olmert had placed himself in situation where a conflict of interest arose by dealing personally with issues involving his lawyer, friend and former business partner Uri Messner.

Mr Messner was applying for financial benefits from the state through the Industry Ministry's Investment Centre.

The prime minister's office has said that Mr Olmert did not intervene personally in any way in the application.

Mr Messner has said that his dealings with the industry ministry were "routine" and "businesslike".

At the time of the allegations, a spokeswoman for Mr Olmert accused the state comptroller of unprecedented unprofessionalism and duplicity.